Pinky's Passing
by PianoMan5
Summary: Pinky has unexpectedly left this life, leaving Isabella to tear herself apart over it. Will Phineas be able to uplift her to her extraordinary self? Not your typical Phinbella oneshot!


**_Hey guys! I've noticed that the Phinbella pairing has been slowly growing more and more cliché, so I've tried to come up with something completely original. Enjoy!_**

**_Disclaimer: Nope, don't own 'em._**

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Phineas stood in front of a mirror in his Sunday best, tightening his black tie to his collared white dress shirt. His face, normally alight with a childish grin and the excitement of a new idea, was very solemn, with a slight grimace and hint of nostalgia. On an ordinary summer day, he would be exuberantly planning out his next impractical endeavor, paying no heed to the laws of Physics. Today, however, he was preparing to attend a funeral.

It had come as a complete surprise. Pinky, Isabella's beloved pet chihuahua, had been brought to the Garcia-Shapiro residence two nights before, and passed away shortly after arrival. Vivian had been too shocked to ask why military personnel had made the delivery, and had informed Linda and the family over the phone shortly afterwards. Although Phineas desperately wanted to be with Isabella, Vivian sadly insisted that her daughter wished to be left alone.

Phineas was sure that Isabella was devastated. Pinky had been a gift from him for her fifth birthday, just a newborn puppy then. The girl and dog had bonded at first sight, already close companions when she placed his doggy-bed in her room that first night. For ten years Pinky had played with her, woken her with an excited yip, listened to her, cried with her, and was always there for her.

The funeral was held in a large white tent in the Flynn-Fletchers' backyard. Not many pets were honored with a real service, but as a member of their small, single-parent family, Pinky was more than an exception.

Despite the sudden loss, the funeral was actually quite cheerful. Instead of mourning over his loss, everyone cherished the memories Isabella and her friends had made with Pinky over the past ten years. All the Fireside girls had something to say, Phineas gave a talk on the significance of pets, and Mrs. Flynn and Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro even performed a soothing musical number to strengthen the comfortable aura. Phineas felt like the service was going splendidly, but towards the end, he was becoming very concerned.

At first, he had barely noticed it. The way she mumbled deadpan hellos to arriving guests, the way her normally vibrant blue eyes looked unnaturally sunken and dull, the way her face was set in stone, betraying no emotion. Isabella wore a brilliant midnight blue dress which kept her from fading into the crowd, but as the funeral went on, he could tell that something was wrong.

It was only during a particularly touching piece of poetry by Gretchen that Phineas really became worried. Every other girl in the room had bittersweet tears pooling in their eyes, and even some of the guys were sniffling. But Isabella's look did not change. Phineas was used to such stoicy from Ferb, but from Isabella it was disconcerting. Her mouth never once flickered to form a smile or frown, and her sullen gaze never left the carpeted floor. She didn't even _blink_.

Phineas knew what was wrong. Who wouldn't be torn apart by the death of their most beloved pet? _If Perry ever unexpectedly left us,_ he thought,_ I don't know how I'd cope._ Still, the way she seemed to be acting, unlike her usual shining, determined self, was haunting him.

At the end of the ceremony, everyone began to file out of the tent for refreshments in the house. Phineas helped his grandfather slowly make his way to the exit, but wasn't sure if he should approach Isabella or not. Was he taking this too seriously, and this was just a normal phase that would fade away? As he thought, though, he overheard the Fireside girls talking to their leader.

"He'll be missed dearly," Katie said comfortingly. Isabella did nothing but nod her head in response.

"Are you sure we can't do anything for you?" Gretchen asked, "We're all here to help." The other girls smiled and nodded in agreement, but Isabella simply shook her head. None of the Fireside Girls seemed to notice the faintest twitch in her hands, the way she stiffened ever so slightly.

Phineas tried to catch her gaze as he walked by, but she stared right through him. Something just felt _off_. He knew that Isabella had every right to be upset, but she _wasn't_. She wasn't happy, sad, angry, excited, or anything at all. Her apathy was frightening.

Once he had gotten his grandpa inside safely, Phineas began to look for Isabella, but she hadn't come in with the rest of the guests. _She must still be in the tent_.

Before reentering, Phineas hesitated. She might have been saying goodbyes to Pinky, and wanted privacy_._ Still, he felt that this was important, so he took a deep breath, walked in, and gasped.

Isabella was sitting at the front of the room, vibrating profusely. She was gripping the sides of her chair so fiercely that her knuckles were turning white.

"Isabella!" Phineas yelled in alarm, rushing up to her, "What's wrong?!"

Isabella jumped, and immediately stopped quivering.

"What's wrong?" he repeated, stricken with panic as he took the seat beside her. For an instant she met his eyes with a glimmer of hope, but then it was gone and she turned away.

"Nothing," she muttered with that inanimate, lifeless stare.

"No it's not. You were just … having a seizure or something!" Phineas didn't want to sound rude, but he was still frantically expecting her to start trembling again.

"I just … felt cold, and … was shivering. That's all." Her voice was not the usual melody of singing birds that Phineas was used to hearing, but distant, more of an echo. She turned to look at him again may have tried to give a reassuring smile, but her cheeks barely twitched.

"You can go back … to the refreshments. I'll be there … in a minute."

"I've been watching you," Phineas said, making her widen her eyes. "I haven't seen you smile, frown, or cry even once. You're barely even talking to people, and I'm getting really worried about you. I know it has to be extremely hard to lose a pet-"

"Please stop." Isabella interrupted waveringly. She was staring daggers into the ground, as if daring it to blink, and was biting down on her lip intensely. Her hands reached for the chair again, but Phineas grabbed them, gently constraining them.

"No. Something's wrong. You're not okay. I want to help you." he guided her chin to face him, then gazed into her eyes imploringly.

"I'm fine," she repeated, an angry, unstable tone slipping into her voice.

_She doesn't want to tell me,_ he thought in realization, _She's trying to struggle through this all alone._

"_Please_ let me help you."

Isabella did not turn away. Phineas felt her fumble her hands in his, searching for something to grip, but finding nothing. He watched as her lower lip began to wobble, and as her shoulders started to tremble. She began blinking rapidly, but it didn't stop long ignored tears from building up. Phineas wouldn't let her gaze leave his, looking intently into her eyes, and almost trying to read her mind. It only took a few seconds for a tear to break free and run down her cheek.

"No," she whispered as another streamed down her other cheek. "No, no, not Pinky, no." Isabella began to cry, and Phineas pulled her into him for comfort, lost for words. He felt her shake into his shoulder, her heartbeat pulsing through him, her sobs gradually becoming louder and more violent.

"Why d-did he have to g-go?" she wept, staining mascara all over his white shirt. "He was my b-baby." Phineas slowly stroked her smooth, black hair, but how was he supposed to calm her down? Her crying was getting more and more out of control.

"I'm sorry, Izzy." He began massaging her tense upper back in hopes of calming her, but this only seemed to be making it worse.

"Shh," he whispered uncertainly, "It'll be alright".

It was the wrong thing to say. Isabella suddenly squirmed in his grasp, pushing against him to get away.

"No it won't!" she seethed, her eyes flashing angrily. "It'll _never_ be alright, he's g-gone forever!" Phineas tried to reach out for her again, but she slapped the hand away.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, her face twisted in pain and grief. Phineas cringed back; Isabella had never yelled at him like that before. She buried her reddened face in her hands, wailing.

"I'm sorry." His voice cracked as he spoke, and he finally looked away from the sobbing Isabella. He had never seen her this broken before, or felt this broken within. Being her best friend, Phineas thought he could have handled this, but he had only seemed to infuriate her. Why had she hit him? What could he do to help? Why-

Before Phineas knew what was happening, Isabella had wrapped her arms around his neck and jerked his head forward. She flew into him, and without warning, furiously mashed her lips into his.

The world began spinning. Phineas's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he stared into Isabella's distraught ones. Her sudden amorous contact completely shell-shocked him, halting all the high speed thoughts that had been racing around his mind a nanosecond earlier. He remained petrified, unmoving, as her lips molded around his. And only seconds later, she broke away.

The two stared at each other, Isabella still curled up against him, now completely silent. Phineas's jaw had dropped open; he couldn't remember it doing so. Isabella stared back with bloodshot eyes, panting heavily, eyes just as wide.

She opened her mouth, but all that came out was a pitiful squeak. When Phineas made no response, Isabella dislodged herself from him, let out one small sob, then ran out the tent.

It took Phineas a whole minute to even register that Isabella was gone. He licked his electrified lips, and tasted the saltiness from her tears. A million questions began racing through his previously blank mind, and he felt like he was going into shock. Isabella liked him? For how long? Was he hallucinating? But one question ruled over them all: Where did Isabella go?

Phineas realized that that kiss was not a romantic or loving one, but one of pure desperation. Isabella had reached out to him in that moment, and he had failed her. And now, he needed to push out all his emotions, newborn fantasies, and hopes, because she needed him. _Now_.

Phineas sprinted out of the ceremonial tent and into the house. He hadn't expected her to be there anyway, so he bolted out the front door and took a quick look around her house. She wasn't there either, so he ran towards the first place he thought she might be: The Fireside girl's clubhouse. It hadn't been used for years, but Isabella once mentioned she went there when she wanted to be alone.

It was a three mile jog, but he barely noticed the burn in his legs. After the lodge came into view, he stopped running, crept forward to the door, and listened, trying to hold back his gasps for breath. And sure enough, there were muffled whimpers and cries coming from inside, just as he had suspected. Phineas gulped, then raised his fist to the wooden door.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

The cries immediately ceased, followed by light steps, and then the door creaked open, revealing a very puffy-eyed Isabella. Her dress was torn and shredded from running, and he could see a muddy scrape on her arm from what must have been a fall. Phineas rushed in and hugged her, holding her tightly to his chest as if she were a prized possession.

"Why are you here?" Isabella asked, her voice weak and fuzzy. "Don't you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you, Izzy? I _love_ you." He still hadn't let go, leaving her feet dangling two inches off the floor. Phineas lightly set her down, but kept his hands on her shoulders.

"But... But I yelled at you. I hit you. I k-kissed you." She wouldn't look him in the eye, so he gingerly guided her chin up to meet his gaze.

"You're not yourself," Phineas told her encouragingly, "I'm not upset, I don't blame you for anything. I know that you're struggling from Pinky, and I want to help you through this. You're in pain, Izzy, please don't try to hide it from me." His eyes were pleading for her to open up.

Isabella sniffed, and after a few seconds, then took a half step towards him and embraced his torso, her head cradled against his shoulder. He, in turn, slid his hands down to her back and began to rub it soothingly. For several minutes they stood in each others' arms, Phineas patiently waiting for her to muster up the courage to speak. When Isabella was finally ready, she took a deep breath.

"I was trying to be strong for my girls, trying to show no weakness." She sniffed again, and her voice rose in pitch. "I didn't think ... I would feel so … _empty_. I never once let myself cry before you came. That's why I was shaking, I was fighting my emotions." She hiccuped. "It's horrible."

Without a second thought, Phineas scooped up Isabella and walked to a nearby armchair, then sat her down on his lap. She nuzzled into his side, shivering slightly. It didn't feel awkward at all, perhaps even better that way.

"You should've told me, Izzy," he whispered caringly, gently caressing her arm. "We're always here for each other, I never want you to think you can't come to me. And don't feel ashamed about crying. Some of the greatest leaders cry, it's a sign of humility."

There was silence for a moment, just the two of them breathing, pondering. "You're the strongest, the bravest girl I've ever known," he continued. "You've never failed to accomplish anything, and nothing has or will ever stop you. I _know_ you can make it through this." Just as he reached forward to wipe away a lone tear on her cheek, she did the same for him. Both teens blushed, and Isabella finally allowed a very timid, but genuine smile.

"Thank you," she whispered more strongly, her smile growing, "I love you too."

New inspiration suddenly struck Phineas. "We can bring him back," he said, "We can try. I've never done something like that, but Pinky wasn't ready to go yet." Isabella's eyes slowly widened, and Phineas could see the sparkle in them coming back.

"You would do that for me?" she asked with a trace of hope. Phineas nodded, growing more confident.

"Every day, if you want. We'll keep trying, Izzy, no matter how long it takes. I'll get him back for you."

Isabella began to tear up again and hugged him tightly, getting his white shirt wet again. He felt himself choking up as well, so glad she was no longer suffering.

"I love you, I love you so much," she repeated through happy sobs, "You're perfect." She began wrapping her arms around his neck again, and inched her face closer to his, but then froze.

"Phineas?" she asked tentatively, "What do you mean when you say 'you love me'?" He looked at her curiously.

"We're best friends, and have been since before Pinky was born. We talk to each other about anything and everything, and would be willing to help each other no matter what. You're like a sister to me."

Isabella looked crestfallen, but Phineas wasn't finished yet. "But," he continued, "I've never once imagined love the way you … expressed it to me earlier." He scratched his neck nervously. "If you really feel that way, Izzy **,** then yeah, we can give it a shot."

Isabella couldn't speak. She just looked up at him, leaking fresh tears.

"This is like the fifth time you've made me cry today Phin, that's a record," she finally got out, making Phineas crack a grin. Her personality and humor were all emerging again, and so was his optimism.

"So... you weren't bothered... when I kissed you?" she asked with a hint of excitement. Phineas shook his head, his heart rate increasing.

"But I don't think it turned out quite the way you wanted," he answered, grinning. "Care to try again?"

Isabella needed no encouragement, and they both leaned forward until their lips gently met. Hers fit perfectly into his, and their noses teasingly brushed together. It was unlike their first kiss, which was full of impulse, desperation, and even fury. It was much nicer, warm, and left a tingly sensation pattering across their lips. It was long and sweet, and exhilarating all the same.

Phineas never would have guessed that something good could have come from Pinky's abrupt death, but it indirectly had. A single thought crossed his mind before he drifted into bliss:

_Maybe, if you look long and hard enough, you can find good in anything._

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**_Remember that multichapter drama/action PxI story I mentioned 3 months ago? Still workin' on it XD, but there's been some progress. Like this, I'm trying to be completely original. Hopefully I can start releasing weekly chapters before September!_**


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